ADF
members are often required to live in communal conditions
either at sea, on base or on deployment. Healthy foot
hygiene is as essential as understanding foot problems.
The
average person takes between 5000 and 8000 steps a day.
It is therefore not surprising that 40 per cent of Australians
develop painful foot problems.
The
risk of picking up chronic foot problems increases when
you commonly use gyms, swimming pools, showers and saunas.
Fungus can be picked up by walking barefoot in communal
areas.
Fungal
nail infection, known to doctors as ‘onychomycosis’,
causes thickening, roughness and often splitting of
the nail. The nail may become discoloured (turn white,
yellow or brown), become very thick and separate from
the nail bed. The toenail may also split or crumble.
It is caused by the fungus spreading under the toenail
and into the nailbed.
Members
involved in sporting activities are at an increased
risk of traumatizing their nails, providing an opening
for infections. The fungus gains entry under the nail
via a broken, closely cut or ingrown toenail.
If
you have any of the following foot problems, see your
ADF health centre.
